Inside and outside link for conveyer chains



Nov. 6, 1928.

c. RoRABI-:CK INSIDE AND OUTSIDE LINK Fon coNvIjYEn cHAINs 2 sheets-smet 1 Filed April '7, 1926 ITA Nw. s, 192s.

c. RoRABEcK INSIDE AND OUTSIDE IINK FOR CONVEYER CHAINS Filed April '7, 192e 2 -sheets-sheet 2 to provide their proportion. of the trackage, each will be constructed with a pair of broad Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. g

CLAUDE RORABECK, OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN MAN- GANESE STEEL COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

CORPORATION v0F MAINE.

INSIDE AND OUTSIDE LINK .ron coNvnYnn cIIAINs.

Application led April 7,

yThis invention relatesy to conveyer chains made up of links articulated through means of pintles passing through ends of the links which are lapped by making one link end of reduced thickness and another link end with spaced members betweenwhich the reduced end fits. l

The object of theinvention is to provide all the links in achain of this kind with a rela? tively broad bearing the better to vstabilize them laterally andto better adapt them to pass over and around guide sheaves, driving y pulleys and the like, when in use, for instance, when serving to carry excavating buckets or other forms of receptacle. Y

' In carrying out the invention, a link with a reduced end is preferably made of reduced transverse dimension throughout its length .so that each end will be an inside end, while both links adjacent thereto will be of the type in which `both ends embody spaced members in their construction, thus adapting them to serve as outside links.

In such a chain construction, desired lateral stability of the outside links is obtained, primarily, by the spacing of theside members thereof, the bases of which serve as rails traversing the. guiding or other surfaces with which the links contact; and for providing broad bearing surfaces for the inside links, and adapting them lateral flanges in the plane of the'base of the link and extending longitudinally thereof to-k ward, but stoppingshortof the articulating ends, these flanges being suitably braced by bracket fins extending diagonally 'from the fianges to the web ofthe link. Lateral stability of the outside links iS increased by pro* y,

viding upon the spaced longitudinal side members of such links relativelyl broad bearing edges suiiicient to develop an overall transverse dimension corresponding substan- .tially to that provided by the flanges on the inside links; but the broad treads on the side members of the outside links extend substantially the full length thereof, thus causing themv to meet the ends ofthe flanges on the inside links and developing continuity of broad trackage or bearing throughout theV chain. i i y n In order to'preserve the vpintle openings of dicate'd by the line 4X means of pintles 3 1926. Serial No, 100,247.

pins, or by both of said expedients, so that the' only appreciable wear occursv between the inltermediate portion of the pintle and the bushy of which parts are Y' ing of the inside link, both readily replaceable.

' In order that thel invention may be fullyv understood, the preferred embodiment thereof 'will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of several links embodying the features of thepresent invention, articulated as in use.

Figures 2, 3, and 4 are, respectively, a top plan view,` a side elevation, and a transverse section of an inside link employed in Figure l, the plane of section of Figure et being in- X of Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are, respectively, a side elevation and a vertical transverse section` on the line 6*-6X of Figure 5, showing an inside link adapted toenter intothe chain of Fig-y ure l, but modified in design to render it suitable for mounting an excavating bucket or other implement thereon.

Figures-7 and 8 are, respectively, a plan view of an outside link together with a tion of an inside link articulated' with one end thereof, and a transverse section of such an outside link in a plane indicated by the line Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional detail view of a typical articulating joint between an inside and an outside link, and which is suitable for all the forms of link disclosed.

Figures l0 and ll are detail perspective views of two forms of pintle which may be employed in the articulation of'thelinks.

f l (Figures l. to 1.1,) and la (Figures 'and 6) represent inside links, and 2 (Figures l, 7 8 and 9) represents outside links adapted to en-` ter into a chain such as shown in Figure 1, in which the links (Figures l, 7, 9 and 1,0) or are articulated through 3,,(Figure ll).V The inside links have rela- A vtively narrow articulating ends 4, corresponding approximately to one-third of the transverse dimension of the .articulated chain, and these ends have pintle openings 5 lined with bushings 6 which constitute'pintle bearings; said bushings preferably spending construction te une of tjefo'rnis corre*- illueitrated in my copending application Serial No. 7 L15,987 particularly with respect to the feature of circumferential adjustability to bring different sectors oit the bushing successively into position of greatest Wear in the luse of the chain, andthe principal structural characteristic of which consists in designing the bushing, as Well as the link opening that receives it, With major and minor axes so that, on the one hand, the bushing Will not rotate in the opening, ,and on the other liandit may befreversed in position, as by turning it 180 about a vertical axis to bring either half of itsvrearin surface to the outer end of the link, or, by rotatingit 1800 upon a horizontal axis, bringing either quadrant of the portion which is outermost into the loiver outer ,sector which marks the position in 4,Whichthe greatest abrasion occurs,

The inner links 1, whether designed as in Figures'Q, 8, and et, or in Figures 5 and 6, have formed integrally with them, in the plane of the bases through which they encounter guide sheaves or pulleys when in use, broad lateral'fianges 7 l'nroviding chain-track or railsections braced by bracketfins ek- .tending diagonally from the fianges'to `the verticalivebs) ot the links, thus developing a transverse dimension and rigidity of structure in the insidedink sufficient to affordthe saine lateral stability 4to the chain when an insidelink is inbearingupon a sheave, Aas is obtained when an outside link is in bearing. IFlanges Tterminate in beveled faces 10 Which *leave the vnarrow articulating endst unobstructed in entering the bifurcated ends of the outside links, andalso aftordingsubstantial articulation with and continuation o the bearing track or rail sections oit `the outside links, as hereinafter described.

`Inside link 1 or 1fL has Vits vertical .medial ivebsQ stifle-ned at top `by the integral head `11 extending to and merging With the articulating ends e Whi h constitute bosses at the ends ofitheaveb `9; and diagonal bracing fins 12 are introduced between the bosses d and the Web 9 to stiften the intermediate portion of the link transversely.

llhe construction of the inside link shown in YFigures and 6 differs from that shown in Eigures 2, 3, and 4: only inthe provision of the deep vertical lin 13 with its marginal strengtlieniiig vrib let and ,perforated corner boss s 15that adantthe link to mount anexcavating `bucket or other implement. The illustrated designot the `fin 13is such thatthe gload which it receives on its bosses l15 vvill be ,transmitted to the link :1, 1a very close to the articulating ends il, since the marginal rib 14: .merges with the bosses e constituting said articulating ends.

i' The outside Vlinks comprise a pair of spaced side bars 16 cast with -top and bottom bearing ,rails 17 preterably identical, A,and thereby rendering the link reversible in position to prolong its service; and the .vertical vvebs 18 uniting said rails, the intermediate longitudinal Vlaterally presented stiffening ribs 19, the articulating bosses 2O `spaced apart to `re- -ceive theinside.linkbosses st, andthe framed anchoring bosses 21 through the medium of Which the intermediate ribs 19 merge With ,the articulatingbosses 20. Said bars 16 are integrally united byl means of center hubs 22 yintermediate theends, of the outside link` and constituting bearings lfor engagement with ,sprockets through which the chain is driven. Hi'bS 22 `are preferably made `hollow and cored vvithopenings 23 affordingescape 'tor 1accumul,atedsoil or material which might obstruct their bearing on the sprockets, and these openings are at both top and bottom. By the. design,ot the h ub 22 y and Vits relation tothe side bar 16, it particularly adaptedto stiften the 4sidebars Lagainst stresses Which Would tend Vto displacehonevertically to the `other Yabout the. anis of the hub.

The outside link `has,articulating openings 24 (Figure 9) in which nthe pintles 3 find direct bearing; but thus-head 25 of a pintle fits'between the ledges 27 ofthe larticulating bosses 20 and ist-hns held against rotation so .that there is 1not material Wearbetiveen `the pintle and the outside 4links. lPintles 3 are secured againstfaxi; l displaeementby means of pins 28 passing digametrically through the #inserted endsof the pintles, the ends otthese pinsbeingdepressed,asshown at 29, into the recesses 30 affordedfbytheframed anchoring bosses 2l, thus `lend'ng further security against rotation` ofthe pintle Vand prei/Venting Withdrawalof the securing pin. inasmuch as theopenings floccuronboth sides of the link, Iremoval of a vpintle isireadily effected by insertingatool inthe opening 3() opposite to that which receives the depressed end ot the pin, Aand driving thedepressed end out- Ward `until the ,pin can be removed. Pin can fbe of square section, which Willadapt it to fit `theopening shown inthe end of the pintle of Figure 110, oritpniay `be round to fit the section o'tlorpening shown inthe pintle (Figure 11)and ineither instance deflectingfits end-29 into an Qpe'ning 30 tvill secure it against removal.'

I claim:

1. A .Qllain comprising articula-ted inside and outside links; an youtside link compris- 4ingya pairof Web-members in spaced parallel planes, constructed with articulatinr ends; `an inside link comprisinga single Weib-B16111- ber in a plane intermediate o't the planes of the outside link members and constructed lili) l,v vith articulating ends fitting between the articulating ends ofthe outside link; the outside link members providing a broad stabilizing base through 'which the link rests upon bearing surfaces which the chain encounters iii-use; and the inside link single Webmember being constructed With 4broad lateral flanges in a plane perpendicular to the plane of its web, providing a stabilizing base of substantially the same width as the base provided by the members of the outside link.

2. A chain comprising articulated inside and outside links; an outside link comprising a pair of members in spaced verticall planes, and constructed with articulating ends; an inside link comprising a single web-member in a vertical plane intermediate of the planes of the outside link members and constructed with single articulating` ends fitting between the ends of the outside link members; said outside link members having laterally en-l larged longitudinally extending base rails providing one portion of a supporting and stabilizing base forthe chain; and the inside link having integral lateral flanges in a plane perpendicular to the plane of its web-member, providing another portion of the stabilizing base of thechain, substantially corresponding in width to and in continuity of the portion of the base provided by the outside link.

3. A conveyer chain, comprising articulated inside and outside vlinks and having a substantially continuous broad stabilizing base upon which the chain travels over supporting surfaces7 which it encounters in use; an outside link of said chain comprising a pair of web-members in spaced vertical planes, having articulating ends, and laterally enlarged bearing rails perpendicular to the planes of its webs, andfpioviding a portion of the supporting base of the chain, said rails extending beneath the articulating ends of said outside link; and an inside link comprising a single web-member in avertical plane intermediate of the planes of the web members of the outside link andconstructed with articulating ends symmetrical with the plane of said single web-member, fitting between the ends of the outside link members and with laterally presented flanges in the plane of the base of the chain, terminating short of the articulating ends of said link but proximate to the rails of the outside link, and providing a portion of the supporting baseof the chain in continuity of the portion jprovided by the outside link. I f

Il. A chain comprising articulated inside and outside links; an outside link comprising a pair of web-members in spaced longitudinal vertical planes and constructed with articulating ends providing one portion oi" a stabilizing and supporting base foi' the chain; and an inside link comprising' a single web-member in an intermediate longitudinal vertical plane, constructed with articulating ends fitting between the ends ofthe members of the outside link, and constructed with base flanges in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said single web-members; providing a portion ofV the stabilizing and sup- -porting'base of the chain in continuity of the portion provided by the outside link; the out-v side link having a vertical .space between its rails for the reception of teeth of a driving i sprocket, the base portion of the inside link providing a transversely continuous bearing surface for the inter-tooth portions of the driving sprocket,fand the articulating ends of the inside link transmitting `thrust from the sprocket teeth to said single web.

5. A conveyer chaink comprising articulated inside and outside links, an outside link comprising a pair of web-members in spaced verticallongitudinal planes of the chain,

each member being constructed with longitu? dinal base rails and end" bosses, said .end bosses constituting spaced articulating portions of the link; and an inside link comprising a single webaneinber in a vertical longii* tudinal plane intermediate of the plane of the `web-members of the outside link, constructed with lateral lianges in a plane perpendicular vertical longitudinal plane of the link Yintermediate of the said planes of the outside link and constructed with lateral flanges enlarging its base to adapt it to form a continuation of the base provided by the outside link and an integral articulating end-boss fitting between the articulating ends ofthe outside link and bracing fins uniting the end-boss oi the inside linkato the web-member thereof.

7 A conveyer link comprising articulated inside and outside links; anoutside link comprising a pair of members in spaced vert-ical longitudinal planes of the chain and constructed with articulating ends; an inside link comprising a single web-member in a vertical longitudinal plane of the link intermediate of the lsaid planes ofk the outside link, and constructed with lateral base flanges enlarging it to a width substantially corresponding with the width of' the outside link with articulating end-bosses fitting between the articulating ends of the outside link; and 'Y with integral bracing fins between its single web-member and its end-bosses and between its said web-memberand base flanges.

Signed at Chicago Heights, Illinois, this 24th day of March, 1926, l

CLAUDE Rosiiiaiioir, 

